Fastener for mail-bags



(No Model.)

ARNOLD. FASTENBR FDR MAIL BAGS.

No. 514,404. Patented Feb; 6, 1894.

' WITNESSES [MEX/V202? Zlorney TH! uAnnun. u'mommm WNW. VIAINNGTDN. o. a

LYNDON ARNOLD, OF ST.

FFICE PATENT JOHNSBURY, VERMONT.

FASTEN ER FOR MAIL-BAGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 514,404, dated February 6, 1894.

Application filed August 5, 1893.

To all wiwm it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LYNDON ARNOLD, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Johnsbury, in the county of Caledonia and State of Vermont, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fasteners for Mail- Bags; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in that class of mail-bags which employ a sliding locking-strap; and it consists in the peculiar construction and arrangement of the several parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and specifically pointed out in the claims.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide a mail-bag with a locking device that can be quickly and readily operated, and positive in its operati0n, and, at the same time, secure against tampering by unlawful persons.

Another object of the invention is to increase the strength and durability of the working parts of the various parts that constitute the locking device without materially increasing the weight thereof.

These objects I accomplish by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1, represents the upper portion of one side of a mail-bag, showing the flap thrown up, with my improved locking device applied thereto; Fig. 2, a view showing the parts in position to be secured by the strap when pulled; Fig. 3, a sectional view on line a: :c of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4:, a view showing the parts in locked position.

Referring to the drawings:the numeral 1 indicates an ordinary mail-bag provided with the usual flap 2, which is formed of two thicknesses of material secured together by a line of rivets 3. To the inner side of the bag, at its open end or mouth, is riveted or otherwise secured a strap, 4, to which is secured a series of metal plates 5, each plate carrying a stud, 6, which is received through a perforation Y -made in the front portion of the bag. To this strap 4, at one end, is secured ametal Serial No. 482,465. (No model.)

plate, 8, carryinga staple, 9, which is received through a slot, 10, made in the front portion of the bag in line with the perforations 7.

It will be seen that by securing the strap 4 to the inner side of the back of the bag and providing said strap with the headed rivets and the staple, the mouth of the bagis closed by inserting said headed rivets and staple through the perforations in the front portion of the bag. The same result may be accomplished by securing the studs directly to the bag, thus dispensing with the strap, but I prefer to employ the strap.

The flap 2 is provided with a series of perforations 11 through which are received the headed studs, 6, and with a slot 12, through which is received the staple 9, when said flap is folded over the month of the bag. To prevent these perforations from being enlarged by constant contact with the studs and to strengthen the material at this point, I provide perforated'plates 13 which are placed between the folds of the flap, a hole of each plate registering with a hole in the flap, and there securely riveted. To the fiap are secured loops 14 through which operates a sliding locking-strap, 15, which is provided with a series of slots 16 enlarged at one end. Each slot is protected by an escutcheon 17, securely riveted to the locking strap. The looking strap is further provided with a slot, 19, through which is received the staple 9, and has one end extended to form a grasping portion to manipulate the strap in looking and unlocking operation.

The letter A indicates aloe-k of special construction which engages with the staple 9, after the locking-strap has been moved forward and the staple passed through the slot 19.

The case aof the look A is cut away or recessed as shown at B, and is provided with a slot, 5, which receives the staple 9, and the usual key-hole. A spring-actuated latch G is pivoted at one end within the lock-case and has its free end extending out through the slot bmade in the edge of the recessed portion of the lock and is provided with a hookend 0. This hooleend is recessed at c and operates through the slotted edge to be engaged by a spring-actuated bolt D resting upon a spring-actuated tumbler, E, which is engaged by thewards of a'key to push said tumbler aside until the log {I is disengaged from the stud eon the tumbler, when the bolt can be shot back,'by the wardof'thekeyactmg on the lug d to release thesprin'g actu ated latch.

The'operation of my invention will be apc parent from the foregoing description, taken pls in connection with the drawings,without f orther explanation.

In unlocking the bag a proper key is used to shoot 'backtho bolt to release thespringactuated latch, which latch springs outward leavingthe end of the; locking-strap free to be disengaged fromtheistaple; then by a sllght endwise movement of said strap the enlargedportion of the slots therein is made to coincide with the heads of thestndsmvhen V the flap may'then be-thrownover and the bag opened.

The lock may be secured to theloclring' strap as shown inFig. 3, and is provided with means 'for' holding theusualdestination slip. .c

It will be understood that'slight changesor modifications of the varions parts of my-invention may bemade Without departing from the principle thereoflsuch for instance vas making the looking-stnds and the slots in the dieated in the drawings in both'cases the I "locking-strap T shape, or the locking studs may be secured to the inner side of the flaprof thebag, but Iprefer .to' secure them as inmouth of the bag is closed as soon as the studs have been'passedthrough the holes in the front portion of the bag.

i Having thus fully described my invention,

' what I claim, andzdesire' to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1.:A mail bag having integraltherewitha I do'nble-foid flap provided with aseriesof perforations protected by perforated plates se- "cured between the folds'of said flap, a strap 7 secured to the inner sideof the bag at a point'i below the flap and carrying aseries of headed studs and a staple, a series of perforations in the front portion of the bag, a series of loops secured to the flap, and a looking-strap slide ries of protected key-hole slots to receive the headed-studs and lock the same thereiu,snbstantially as specified. i

2. A mail bag having integral therewith a .doublef0ld flap provided with a series of perforations protected by perforatedipla'tcs se' l cured between the folds of said flap, a strap "secured to inner sideof the rear portion of the bag at a point'below the flapand carryinga series of headedstuds and a staple, a seriesof perforations, in .thefront portion of the back, aseries of loops seonredto the flap a locking strap provided with a series of pro tected key-hole slots and sliding within said i ring Within said loops and provided with ase- 

